Worth Dying For

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New from the number-one Sunday Times best-selling author of Prisoners of Geography. We feel more divided than ever. This riveting analysis tells you why. Walls are going up. Nationalism and identity politics are on the rise once more. Thousands of miles of fences and barriers have been erected in the past 10 years, and they are redefining our political landscape.

4 out of 5 stars

Good book undermined by obtrusive narration

By
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Shadowplay: Behind the Lines and Under Fire

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The shattering of Yugoslavia in the 1990s showed that, after nearly 50 years of peace, war could return to Europe. It came to its bloody conclusion in Kosovo in 1999. Tim Marshall, then diplomatic editor at Sky News, was on the ground covering the Kosovo War. This is his illuminating account of how events unfolded, a thrilling journalistic memoir drawing on personal experience, eyewitness accounts, and interviews with intelligence officials from five countries.

5 out of 5 stars

Edge of your seat tension with a very human angle

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The Germans and Europe

A Personal Frontline History

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Based on a lifetime living in and reporting on Germany and Central Europe, award-winning journalist and author Peter Millar tackles the fascinating and complex story of the people at the heart of our continent. Focussing on nine cities (only six of which are in the Germany of today), he takes us on a zigzag ride back through time via the fall of the Berlin Wall through the horrors of two world wars and the patchwork states of the Middle Ages to the splendour of Charlemagne and the fall of Rome.

5 out of 5 stars

Superb Highly Recommended

By
Jo
on
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Prisoners of Geography

Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics

By:
Tim Marshall

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Ric Jerom

Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins

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4.5 out of 5 stars
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If you've ever wondered why Putin is so obsessed with Crimea, why the USA was destined to become a global superpower or why China's power base continues to expand ever outwards, the answers are all here. In 10 chapters, using essays and occasionally the personal experiences of the widely travelled author,
Prisoners of Geography looks at the past, present and future to offer an essential insight into one of the major factors that determines world history.

5 out of 5 stars

An interesting and thought-provoking approach

By
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Empire of Things

How We Became a World of Consumers, from the Fifteenth Century to the Twenty-First

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Length: 33 hrs and 6 mins

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4 out of 5 stars
133

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4 out of 5 stars
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What we consume has become the defining feature of our lives: our economies live or die by spending, we are treated more as consumers than workers and even public services are presented to us as products in a supermarket. In this monumental study, acclaimed historian Frank Trentmann unfolds the extraordinary history that has shaped our material world, from late Ming China, Renaissance Italy and the British Empire to the present.

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Reflections on what we own and how it owns us.

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October

The Story of the Russian Revolution

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China Mieville

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John Banks

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4 out of 5 stars
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The renowned fantasy and science fiction writer China Mieville has long been inspired by the ideals of the Russian Revolution, and here, on the centenary of the revolution, he provides his own distinctive take on its history. In February 1917, in the midst of bloody war, Russia was still an autocratic monarchy: nine months later it became the first socialist state in world history. How did this unimaginable transformation take place? How was a ravaged and backward country, swept up in a desperately unpopular war, rocked by not one but two revolutions?

4 out of 5 stars

not a book for audio - good to read only,

By
DLC
on
11-12-17

Divided

Why We're Living in an Age of Walls

By:
Tim Marshall

Narrated by:
Ric Jerrom

Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
310

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
289

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
288

New from the number-one Sunday Times best-selling author of Prisoners of Geography. We feel more divided than ever. This riveting analysis tells you why. Walls are going up. Nationalism and identity politics are on the rise once more. Thousands of miles of fences and barriers have been erected in the past 10 years, and they are redefining our political landscape.

4 out of 5 stars

Good book undermined by obtrusive narration

By
Michael Sweeney
on
30-01-19

Shadowplay: Behind the Lines and Under Fire

The Inside Story of Europe's Last War

By:
Tim Marshall

Narrated by:
Tim Marshall

Length: 8 hrs and 8 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
142

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
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Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
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The shattering of Yugoslavia in the 1990s showed that, after nearly 50 years of peace, war could return to Europe. It came to its bloody conclusion in Kosovo in 1999. Tim Marshall, then diplomatic editor at Sky News, was on the ground covering the Kosovo War. This is his illuminating account of how events unfolded, a thrilling journalistic memoir drawing on personal experience, eyewitness accounts, and interviews with intelligence officials from five countries.

5 out of 5 stars

Edge of your seat tension with a very human angle

By
DW2000q
on
01-12-19

The Germans and Europe

A Personal Frontline History

By:
Peter Millar

Narrated by:
Damian Lynch

Length: 15 hrs and 32 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
287

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
263

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
258

Based on a lifetime living in and reporting on Germany and Central Europe, award-winning journalist and author Peter Millar tackles the fascinating and complex story of the people at the heart of our continent. Focussing on nine cities (only six of which are in the Germany of today), he takes us on a zigzag ride back through time via the fall of the Berlin Wall through the horrors of two world wars and the patchwork states of the Middle Ages to the splendour of Charlemagne and the fall of Rome.

5 out of 5 stars

Superb Highly Recommended

By
Jo
on
26-01-18

Prisoners of Geography

Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics

By:
Tim Marshall

Narrated by:
Ric Jerom

Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
3,509

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
3,104

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
3,078

If you've ever wondered why Putin is so obsessed with Crimea, why the USA was destined to become a global superpower or why China's power base continues to expand ever outwards, the answers are all here. In 10 chapters, using essays and occasionally the personal experiences of the widely travelled author,
Prisoners of Geography looks at the past, present and future to offer an essential insight into one of the major factors that determines world history.

5 out of 5 stars

An interesting and thought-provoking approach

By
Kirstine
on
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Empire of Things

How We Became a World of Consumers, from the Fifteenth Century to the Twenty-First

By:
Frank Trentmann

Narrated by:
Mark Meadows

Length: 33 hrs and 6 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
133

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
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Story

4 out of 5 stars
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What we consume has become the defining feature of our lives: our economies live or die by spending, we are treated more as consumers than workers and even public services are presented to us as products in a supermarket. In this monumental study, acclaimed historian Frank Trentmann unfolds the extraordinary history that has shaped our material world, from late Ming China, Renaissance Italy and the British Empire to the present.

5 out of 5 stars

Reflections on what we own and how it owns us.

By
Wras
on
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October

The Story of the Russian Revolution

By:
China Mieville

Narrated by:
John Banks

Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
275

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
248

Story

4 out of 5 stars
249

The renowned fantasy and science fiction writer China Mieville has long been inspired by the ideals of the Russian Revolution, and here, on the centenary of the revolution, he provides his own distinctive take on its history. In February 1917, in the midst of bloody war, Russia was still an autocratic monarchy: nine months later it became the first socialist state in world history. How did this unimaginable transformation take place? How was a ravaged and backward country, swept up in a desperately unpopular war, rocked by not one but two revolutions?

4 out of 5 stars

not a book for audio - good to read only,

By
DLC
on
11-12-17

Why We Get The Wrong Politicians

By:
Isabel Hardman

Narrated by:
Isabel Hardman

Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins

Unabridged

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4.5 out of 5 stars
386

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4.5 out of 5 stars
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Story

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Politicians are consistently voted the least trusted professional group by the UK public. They've recently become embroiled in scandals concerning sexual harassment and expenses. Every year, they introduce new legislation that doesn't do what it sets out to achieve - often with terrible financial and human costs. But, with some notable exceptions, they are decent, hardworking people doing a hugely difficult and demanding job. In this searching examination of our political class, award-winning journalist Isabel Hardman tries to square this circle.

5 out of 5 stars

Informative and timely

By
Judy Corstjens
on
18-03-19

A Line in the Sand

Britain, France and the struggle that shaped the Middle East

By:
James Barr

Narrated by:
Peter Noble

Length: 15 hrs and 7 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
392

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
347

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
346

Through a stellar cast of politicians, diplomats, spies and soldiers, including T. E. Lawrence, Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle, A Line in the Sand vividly tells the story of the short but crucial era when Britain and France ruled the Middle East. It explains exactly how the old antagonism between these two powers inflamed the more familiar modern rivalry between the Arabs and the Jews and ultimately led to war between the British and the French in 1941 and between the Arabs and the Jews in 1948.

5 out of 5 stars

Eloquent and well formed

By
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on
08-07-19

The Origins of Political Order: From Prehuman Times to the French Revolution

By:
Francis Fukuyama

Narrated by:
Jonathan Davis

Length: 22 hrs and 34 mins

Unabridged

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272

Performance

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235

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
232

Virtually all human societies were once organized tribally, yet over time most developed new political institutions which included a central state that could keep the peace and uniform laws that applied to all citizens. Some went on to create governments that were accountable to their constituents. We take these institutions for granted, but they are absent or are unable to perform in many of today’s developing countries—with often disastrous consequences for the rest of the world.

5 out of 5 stars

Profound

By
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03-05-16

The Road to Unfreedom

By:
Timothy Snyder

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Timothy Snyder

Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins

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4.5 out of 5 stars
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Random House presents the audiobook edition of The Road to Unfreedom, written and read by Timothy Snyder. The past is another country, the old saying goes. The same might be said of the future. But which country? For Europeans and Americans today, the answer is Russia.Today's Russia is an oligarchy propped up by illusions and repression. But it also represents the fulfilment of tendencies already present in the West. And if Moscow's drive to dissolve Western states and values succeeds, this could become our reality, too. In this visionary work of contemporary history, Timothy Snyder shows how Russia works within the West to destroy the West.

5 out of 5 stars

Great thesis

By
Keith
on
09-05-18

Dictatorland

By:
Paul Kenyon

Narrated by:
Hamilton McLeod

Length: 19 hrs and 20 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
4

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5 out of 5 stars
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4.5 out of 5 stars
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A vivid, heartbreaking portrait of the fate that so many African countries suffered after independence. The dictator who grew so rich on his country's cocoa crop that he built a 35-storey-high basilica in the jungles of the Ivory Coast. The austere, incorruptible leader who has shut Eritrea off from the world in a permanent state of war and conscripted every adult into the armed forces. In Equatorial Guinea, the paranoid despot who thought Hitler was the saviour of Africa and waged a relentless campaign of terror against his own people.

The New Silk Roads

The Present and Future of the World

By:
Peter Frankopan

Narrated by:
Leighton Pugh

Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins

Unabridged

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4.5 out of 5 stars
833

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'All roads used to lead to Rome. Today, they lead to Beijing.' When The Silk Roads was published in 2015, it became an instant classic. A major reassessment of world history, it compelled us to look at the past from a different perspective. The New Silk Roads brings this story up to date, addressing the present and future of a world that is changing dramatically. Following the Silk Roads eastwards, from Europe through to China, by way of Russia and the Middle East, The New Silk Roads provides a timely reminder that we live in a world that is profoundly interconnected.

5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating. I learned something in every chapter

By
J.F.Penn
on
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A Little History of Religion

By:
Richard Holloway

Narrated by:
James Bryce

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Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,186

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1,083

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4.5 out of 5 stars
1,071

In an era of hardening religious attitudes and explosive religious violence, this book offers a welcome antidote. Richard Holloway retells the entire history of religion - from the dawn of religious belief to the 21st century - with deepest respect and a keen commitment to accuracy. Writing for those with faith and those without, and especially for young listeners, he encourages curiosity and tolerance, accentuates nuance and mystery and calmly restores a sense of the value of faith.

5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating book

By
Mr. Paul M. Quirk
on
05-01-17

The Establishment

And How They Get Away With It

By:
Owen Jones

Narrated by:
Jonathan Keeble

Length: 14 hrs and 52 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,652

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,484

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,469

Behind our democracy lurks a powerful but unaccountable network of people who wield massive power and reap huge profits in the process. In exposing this shadowy and complex system that dominates our lives, Owen Jones sets out on a journey into the heart of our Establishment, from the lobbies of Westminster to the newsrooms, boardrooms, and trading rooms of Fleet Street and the City.

5 out of 5 stars

Won't do your blood pressure any good....

By
Colin
on
11-04-17

Radical

My Journey from Islamist Extremism to a Democratic Awakening

By:
Maajid Nawaz

Narrated by:
Maajid Nawaz

Length: 10 hrs and 30 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
465

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
431

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
431

Born and raised in Essex, Maajid Nawaz was recruited into politicised Islam as a teenager. Abandoning his love of hip-hop music, graffiti and girls, he was recruited into Hizb ut-Tahrir (the Liberation Party), where he played a leading and international role in the shaping and dissemination of an aggressive anti-West narrative. While studying for his Arabic and law degree, he travelled around the UK and to Denmark and Pakistan, setting up new cells.

5 out of 5 stars

Facinating, Compelling & Shocking

By
S. Morris
on
07-03-18

The Panama Papers

How the World's Rich and Powerful Hide Their Money

By:
Frederik Obermaier,
Bastian Obermayer

Narrated by:
Simon Shepherd

Length: 12 hrs and 2 mins

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4.5 out of 5 stars
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Late one evening, investigative journalist Bastian Obermayer receives an anonymous message offering him access to secret data. Through encrypted channels he then receives documents showing a mysterious bank transfer for $500,000,000 in gold. This is just the beginning. Obermayer and fellow Süddeutsche Zeitung journalist Frederik Obermaier find themselves immersed in a secret world where complex networks of shell companies help to hide people who don't want to be found.

5 out of 5 stars

A must-read. Simple as that

By
phil chadwick
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18-12-16

A Little History of Philosophy

By:
Nigel Warburton

Narrated by:
Kris Dyer

Length: 7 hrs and 35 mins

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4.5 out of 5 stars
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Philosophy begins with questions about the nature of reality and how we should live. These were the concerns of Socrates, who spent his days in the ancient Athenian marketplace asking awkward questions, disconcerting the people he met by showing them how little they genuinely understood. This engaging book introduces the great thinkers in Western philosophy and explores their most compelling ideas about the world and how best to live in it.

5 out of 5 stars

Thoroughly fascinating from start to finish.

By
Adam
on
18-03-17

The Growth Delusion

Why Economists Are Getting It Wrong and What We Can Do About It

By:
David Pilling

Narrated by:
Elliot Hill

Length: 8 hrs and 30 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
478

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
425

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4.5 out of 5 stars
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A revelatory and entertaining book about the pitfalls of how we measure our economy and how to correct them, by an award-winning editor of
The Financial Times. According to GDP, the economy is in a golden era: economic growth has risen steadily over the past 70 years and shows no sign of stopping. But if this is the case, why are we living in such fractured times, with global populism on the rise and wealth inequality as stark as ever?

5 out of 5 stars

Great book made even better by great narration

By
KF
on
08-08-18

Summary

When you see your nation's flag fluttering in the breeze, what do you feel? For thousands of years flags have represented our hopes and dreams. We wave them. Burn them. March under their colours. And still, in the 21st century, we die for them. Flags fly at the UN, on the Arab street, from front porches in Texas. They represent the politics of high power as well as the politics of the mob.

From the renewed sense of nationalism in China, to troubled identities in Europe and the USA, to the terrifying rise of Islamic State, the world is a confusing place right now and we need to understand the symbols, old and new, that people are rallying round.

In nine chapters (covering the USA, UK, Europe, Middle East, Asia, Africa, Latin America, international flags and flags of terror), Tim Marshall draws on more than 25 years of global reporting experience to reveal the histories, the power and the politics of the symbols that unite us - and divide us.

Critic reviews

"This might be the comprehensive flag volume we've all been waiting for - a slick yet detailed and well-researched journey through some of the world's most infamous and interesting flags…. Marshall guides us through this myriad of stories admirably." (
Geographical Magazine)

"A fascinating tour of the world's ensigns, their histories and meanings...a sobering lesson in just how silly we human beings can be." (
Daily Mail)

"Marshall points out that we often forget the aggressive symbolism of established flags...[they] are a quick, visual way of communicating loyalties, power and ideas." (Robbie Millen,
The Times)

Arrgh - the Narrator

Subject matter is fascinating; the author's writing is sublime, the research is of a high quality, though in no way academic. But the flipping narrator is beyond annoying. If the narrator had only maintained his normal speaking voice through, this book would be wonderful. But the faux put on attempts at accent are beyond bad. It's difficulty to know whether the fake American, the appalling Trump impression, the cringeworthy Scots accent or the incredibly grating Northern Irish attempts are worse. I haven't mentioned the Slavic attempts, or the countless others (though I am conscious I just did) which detract from the author's hard work and craftsmanship. Narrator hang your head in shame - you are ruining this wonderful book.

Worth reading

As stated in the introduction, not a comprehensive guide to all flags but a slightly more general view at the flags and concept of a flag. Still, you do get the stories for all major flags, how they came about, what they stood and stand for. And a great ending.

Mediocre at best

I absolutely love flags, and really thought I would therefore enjoy this book. I had seen videos based on this book and heard great reviews. But it was narrated poorly and I really struggled to get past chapter 2 I wouldnt bother

Thought provoking and well written

Spoiled, for me, only by the narrators intensely annoying habits of attempting, very badly, to imitate the accents of the varied people’s featured in the book. This was an excellently written, researched and constructed book that I really enjoyed and would recommend

Good book, with some interesting history

really liked this one, however it's nothing compared to prisoners of geography another tim Marshall book. if enjoyed this one give that one ago.

the book is well thought out and explains some fascinating history behind some of the key flags in the world, however most will recognize that certain flags have more meaning to certain groups already.

that being said you are bound to find something you did not know about certain cultures and flags, which will help your understanding of geo politics.

the book is well read and laid out, would definitely recommend to anyone.